Needle-loom.



E. E. WAITE.

NEEDLE Lloom.

'APPucAnoN man luLY 6.1915. h y

I Patnted Mar. 4,1919. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 1. A

Mil:

Eff. WAIIE.

NEEDLE LOOM.

APPLICATION FILED IuLY 5. IsIs.

LQQM, I Patented Mar. 4,1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

'II I @@sawl facial; M

E. E. WAITE.

NEEDLE Loom. l APPLicATLoN FILED JuLYe, 1915. l 29%02@ v Patented Mar. 4,1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

E. E. WAITE.

NEEDLE Loom. APPLICATION FILED JULY 6.1915- Patented Mar. 4,1919.A

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

E. E. WAITE.

NEEDLE LOOM.

APPLICATION FILED IuLY 6.1915.

Patented Mar. 4,1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

Y facture a novel fabric disclosed in my Patent l in Figs. 1 and 2;

No. 1,243,905, granted October 23, 1917, and in which the weft is doubled back upon itself in each shed, forming a loopat one selvage edge of the fabric (as above described), but the loops so formed are interlocked with each other thus making it unnecessary to use an auxiliary selvage thread to lock the weft against raveling.

Referring to the drawings, v

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine embodying this invention, certain parts of the frame being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a vertical, sectional View on the line 2.-2, Fig. 1

Fi 3 1s a plan view of the machine shown Fig. 4 is a plan view of the weft handling instrumentalities;

Fi 5 is another viewlof the parts shown in. Flg. 4 but showing them in a different position;

F ig, 6 is a perspective View of part of the weft inserting needle;

. Fi 7 is aview similar to Figs. 4 and 5 but s o-wing the parts in another position;

Fig. 8i's'an end elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 5;

Fi 9 is a'fragmentary view showing one ste .in the operation of locking the weft; and

- ig. 10 is an elevation showing a yarn tension device used in the machine.

The machine shown includes a war holding. and operating mechanism whic comprises a set of harnesses 2 mounted for vertical reciprocating movement in a suitable partvof the machine-frame 4.- These harnesses, of course, are provided with suitable healds which are not shown here since'such a showing is not essential to an understanding of the present invention. The harnesses are operated bv a series of cams 6, one cam being provide for each harness 2, and these cams are all mounted on a cam shaft 8 which 1s supported 1n bearings secured to the machine frame and is provided at its forward I. end with a worm wheel 10 that meshes with a worm 12 fast on the main shaft 14 of the machine. A lever shaft 16 is mounted at one side of and parallel to' the shaft 8 and carries a series of levers 18. Each of these levers is connected by means of a link to the bottom of one of the harness frames 2 and carries a roll running in a cam groove formed in one of thecams 6. The cams 6 operate through their respective levers to move the harnesses 2 up and down in their guideways and are, of course, timed to give to the harnesses the motions necessary to effect the desired movement of the warp threads and bind'ers. Each cam lever 18 carries' a counterbalancing h wei ht 19,V

roll 24 mounted clos-e tothe cloth beam. The

reed 20 is vmounted on the upper end of a bell crank lever 21 which is fulcrumed on a shaft 26 and carries at its opposite end a roll running in the cam way of a cam.- 68 fast on the main shaft 14. The cloth beam 22 is fixed to a shaft 30 which lies parallel to the main shaft and is mounted in bearings supporting it above said shaft. Mounted loosely on the shaft 30 is a worm wheel 32which is driven by a worm 34 mounted on the end of a vertical shaft 3 5 that is driven by a worm wheel 3,6 meshing with the worm 12 on the main shaft. A ratchet wheel 38, is fixed to the shaft30 close beside the worm wheel 32 and the latter wheel carries a pawl that normally is held in engagement with the teethI of the ratchet Wheel 38 by means of a spring thus compelling the cloth beam 22 to rotate with the worm wheel 32 ina direction enabling the cloth beam `to take up the Web of cloth and keep it tight. But by releasing the pawl from the ratchet, the cloth beam canways just back of the bearings for the shaft 30 and is normally held in its operative po- A spool supporting rack (not shown), of

course, is provided back of the machineto 'l hold the spools or cones from which-the warp threads and binders are unwound by the machine when it is in operation; or the warp threads and binders may be supported in any other convenient manner. v

t The warp supporting and operating mechanism above described is arranged when the machine is ready for operationto form a shed s between the harnesses and the clothbeam. A needle 50, mounted in suit.

,able guides to reci 'rocate back and forth through the shed, 1s utilized to insert .the weft and is driven by means Aof an eccentric on the main shaft operating an eccentric strap 52 which is connected to onek arm of a bell crank lever 54, the opposite end of said lever being connected by a short link 56 to the needle 50. The weft w is led from a spool or cone through a tension device 58, over aroll ory yarn guide 60 mounted on the rear end ofthe needle, and then through in lcontact with the'set'screw 90 and thus.

when both the needle and hook a stationary yarn guide 62 to the eye of the needle. Any suitable'form of yarn tension may be used, .that shown consisting of two rolls which are pressed together yieldingly by a spring and between whichthe yarn lis guided as it is fed forwardf A selvage hook 65 or needle is mounted on the upper end of a bellcrank lever 66 which rocks on the Vshaft 26 and carries on its lower end a roll running in a cam groove of a cam 68 mounted fast on the main shaft 14. The

upper end of thislever runs in aslot formed vertically in a guide arm or bracket 7 0 vwhich is secured to the machine frame and servesA to support this lever arm against lateral movement out of its normal or .operative po sition. (See Fig. 8). Mounted between the reed 20 and the-clothbeam 22 and just at the v end ofthe shed of the warp are two horizontal guide rods 72 supported by abracket 4front .of the guide rods l72;.and the hook 65 has a range of movement fronrthe apex of the shed to a point just under thepath of the weft needle 50, this movement taking place in substantially a horizontal plane and in fa directionsubstantially parallel to the selvage edge of thefabric. It will be noted that the needle 50 is cut outon its lower side near the point, as best indicated in Figs. 6 and 8, to allow the hook to move under it are at the forward limits of their strokes.

Preferably, the hook 65 is supported in a holder which is mounted to have a slight swinging movement about a vertical pivot 78 that is mounted in a bracket 76 secured to the upper end of the lever 66. Two set screws 89 and 90, respectively, mounted in the bracket on opposite sides of an arm 80 which forms part of the holder, serve' to limit the movement of the holder in opposite directions, while a spring192, connected at. one end to the arm 80 and at its opposite end to an eye bolt 94 .threaded through part of the bracket 76, normally holds the arm 80 swings the forward end of the hook 65 away from the selvage edge of the fabric, In the machine shown a hook of the latch type is used; that is, the hook is provided with a pivoted latch 96 arranged to swing either into the position shown in. Fig. 9 where it closes the opening of the hook, or into an open position as shown in Figs. 5

and 8 where it lies back nearly parallel with the shank of the hook. At a` certain point in the forward stroke of the hook 65, this latch strikes a vertical pin 98 which is secured to the guide and holds the latch open at this particularV time,

i Assumin i no w that the loom has been drawn in, that is, that the warp and binders have been arranged in the harnesses and vover the cloth beam in the proper manner forJ the weaving operation, that the weft needle 50 has lbeen threaded in the mannen shown in the drawings and that the operation of weaving has been started, the web of cloth 'being guided between the cloth beamy 22 and the rolls 24 with the pins in the member 22 holding the web of cloth tight, the

operation of the machine would be substantially as follows: The weft inserting needle 50 is advanced through' the shed, as shown in Fig. 4, by its connections withthe driving shaft 14, vas above described, and at the same. time the hook 65 is moved forward toward the weft needle by its driving connections labove described.

The weft needle carries with it a double strand of weft thread lw, as shown in Fig. 4,.and'both the needle and the hook advance until theyarrive substantially in the positions in which they are shownjin Figs.'5 and 8, .the hook`65 lyingdirectly v under the weft'needle 50 and back of the eye of said needle.

Preferably the timing of the members 50 and 65' is so adjusted ,that the. needle reaches the forward'limitf its stroke I and starts back before the hook quite reaches the path of the needle. formed in the weft just under`v the needle and back of its eye and the hook passes through .this loop into the position lin which it is\ The hookA `then pauses shown in Fig. 8. while the needle continues on its'return stroke, thus carrying the part of the weft w that lies immediately below the eye of the needle against'the shank of the hook and in l front of the opening of the hook.' The latch 96 atV this timev is held back in its open position by the pin 98, as clearly shown in Figs.l

A loop thusA is,Y

5 and 8. The hook 65 next starts on its return stroke and' picks-up the loop of the weft. F ig. 7 shows substantially 'the relative positions of the hook and needle shortly after this step and -while'they both are making-their return stroke.

During this time the yarn tension 58 is, of

course, holding the weft 'w and lwhen the needle 50 has withdrawn slightly. but -far enough to take upthe slack in the weft, its j further backward movement places sufficient tension on -the weft lying in the shed to swing the hook,65 into the position in which it is shown in Fig. 7, any further swinging movement, however, being ,limited by the stop 89. As the needle 50 continues on its izo 4backward stroke it tightens up the weft in f the shed and `draws more weft through the tension device 58, this weft feeding around the takeii` roll 60 'on the end of the needle and through the eye of the needle 50. In the meantime the hookr65 continues its backward stroke, arriving in the position in which it is shownin Fig. 9 where the latch,

ia@ i 96 is closed by the loop which previously has been formed and enen-cles the shank of the hook. As the hook completes its backward movement, it pulls the loop of weft last formed through the loo encircling the Ashank of the hook, thus ocking the latter loop against raveling. At substantially this time the harnesses change and the reed 20 swings back, beating up the pick just made. This method of locking one loop by pulling another loop through it forms a series of chain stitches along the selvage edge of the fabric. v

As soon as the reed hasagain returned to the position in .which it is shown in Fig. 8, thev needle again advances carrying through the shed another double length of weft. The hook 65, having now interlocked the last pair of loops made, is swun slightly about the pivot 7 8 (see Fig. 4) by t e spring 82 away from the selvage, thus carrying its point out of the path of the stitch last formed and thus'avoiding any interference between the hook and the part of the selvage already completedu The ,movement of the hook 65 produced by the spring 92 takes place as soon as the hook has` pulled the oop through the preceding loop far enough to leave any slack and usual y begins as soon as the hook starts on its forward stroke.

This movement of the hook maintains a tension on the loop that the hook now holds and pulls the loop into such a position that it cannot slip olf the hook. This is a very important feature, particularly in the weaving of multi-ply the several plles 11e in different planes and in which there would be af tendency, if it were not for this movement, for the loop to slip off the hook when the hook begins its forward movement. The dropping of the f loops in this manner also is prevented by positioning the hook so that its opening' points `away from the shed, thus making it necessary to have a longer or looserloop in order for it to slip offthe hook than would be necessary if ,the opening in the hookl pointed in any other direction. This loop,

assit rides up on the thicker partlof the shank above'the opening of the hook, as

' shown in Fig. Ll, swings the hook back i toward the shed and guidesit into the position in which it is shown in Fig. 5.` As the loop slides back along the shank of the hook, it swings the latch 96 into its open positlon and then slides over the latch. This movement sometimes tends to snap the latch shut again after it has assed the loop but this action is prevented liy the pressure of the pin 98 which lies directly in the path which the latch must take in making its closing movement. It is obviousdthat if. the latch is closed lwhile the hook isat the forward part of its Stroke, where it is su-pposed to catch the goods where .the loops of incanta' loopof weft last formed, this loop will merely slide over the hook 'and this pick of weft will be missed. The pin 98 effectuy the end of the shed opposite to that froml which it is inserted being caught by the hook and pulled through the loop previously formed. Sometimes there is a tendency, While the machine is running, to crowd the web of cloth toward the left hand end of the cloth beam 22, as it is shown in Figs. l and 3, and in order to resist this tendency the beammay be provided with a flange at this end, as shown -in the drawings. This flange also backs up the fabric at the end or apex of the shed and facilitates the shedding of the loops olf the hook 65 as it interlocks one loop with another.

The motions of the different parts, and

65 and the reed 20 must be timed very accurately in order to produce satisfactory results, especially atvhigh speeds. This has been one of the diliculties encountered in previous designs of needle looms. In the resent machlne this difficulty is overcome y driving the weftinserting needle with a crank or an eccentric mechanism, and driving both the hook 65 and the reed with cams, these cams being designed to move their respective members in the proper timed relationship to the movement of the weft inserting needle 50. I regard it as essential to the successful operation of a machine of this character that eitherthe needle 50 or thehook 65 be driven by a cam.

An important advantage of'this machine is that all its operating parts may be run at relatively high speeds, thus permitting the production of the goods at a rate much the necessity for using a separate selvage' 'thread and thus avoids the stopping and .annoyance attendin the handling and renewal of a separate tread. The weft thread obviously canbe sup lied from spoolsA or lcones of very large slze so that the interruptions of operation necessary to renew this thread are infrequent and such interruptions need only be' very short. The machine also is adapted, with certain modifcations, for use in weaving fabrics in which a separate selvage thread is used to lock the weft against raveling. It is obvious that the machine is capable of manufacturing which the machine is especially designed to make is shown anddescribed in a co-.pend-l the present invention.

Havlng thus described my invention, what ing application assigned to the assignee of I claim as new and desire to secure by-Let-\ ters Patent of the United States is warp .holding and operating mechanism, of weft inserting means operative to lay a double length of weft in each shediof the warp, Aleaving a loop in the end offsaid' length at the selvage edge of -the fabric, a hook operative to; pull each loop thus formed through a preceding loop, means for operating said hook, a latch carried by said hook v and movable relatively thereto to close or open the opening in the hook, and means for holding said latch in its' open position while the initial `engagement between the i ble length 'of leaving a loop in the end of said length at hook and each loop ismade. A

2; In a needle loom, the combination' with warp weft inserting means operatlve to lay a douilweft in each shed of the warp,

the selvage edge of the fabric, a hook movable through each loop and operative to pull each loop as it is formed through the presaid hook including means constructed and arranged to give it a loop tensioning movement as it advances.

3l In a needle loom, the combination with a warp holding and operatingmechanism, of weft inserting means operative to lay a double length of weft in each shed, leaving a loop in the end ofsaid length at the selvage edge of the fabric, a hook mounted-for to and fro movement to enter each loop as it is formed, means for operating said hook to e weft pause it to pulleachloop as it-is formed hrough the p'recedin loop and thus form a series of chain stitc es along one selvage edge of thefabric, and means forgivingI said hook` a movement additional to said.

to and fro movement to prevent interference between said hook and stitches as the hook advances. l

4. In a needle loom, the combination with warp holding andoperating mechanism in' cluding means for shedding the warp, of

each of said lengths at the selvage edge opposite to the side of the shed from which- 'the weft is-inserted, a hook mounted for movement transversely to the direction in Which said weft is inserted and operative to pull each loop solformed through a peceding loop,v means for giving said hook holding and operating mechanism, of

inserting means Y operative to lay a double length of weft. in each shed of the `warp thusforming a loop in the end of from the shed.

5. In a needle loom, the combination with warp holding-and operating mechanism in- "cluding means forv shedding the warp, ofa

reciprocating needle mounted for movement throughthe shed of the warp, means for j'operating said needle, a hook mounted at 1. In a needle loom, the combination with the side of the shed vopposite to that from which said `needle isl inserted and arranged reciprocating movement from a point close to the path of said needle subt0 vhave a cluding-means for shedding the warp, of a weft inserting needle mountedv to reciprocate through the shed of the warp, a hook mounted beside the shed for to and fro movement `from a point close to the path of said needle substantially to the apex of the shed, the opening in said hook pointing away from the shed, and operating mechanism for said hook.

7. In a needleloom, the combination with warp holding and operating mechanism 'including means for shedding the warp, of a eating movement through the shed of the warp, a hook mounted at the side of the shed opposite to that fromwhich the needle is inserted and arranged to have a reciprocat- Aweft inserting needle mounted 'for reclproing movemen from a point close to the path e of said needle substantially to the apex of the shed, a latch carried by said hook and movable to open o r close the hook, operatmg means for said needle and hook including a cam arranged to'drive one of sald members in a timed relationship to the movements of the other member so that one of said members will pause while the movement of the other'member eects an operative engage.-4

ment between said hook and the weft carried by said needle, and means for holding A11;@ linitial engagement between said hook and said latch' in itsopen position while the the weft is made.

8. In a needle loom, the combination with warp holding and operating mechanism in,- cluding means 'for shedding the warp, of a reciprocating weft inserting needle mountedA for movement throu h the shed of .the warp, an eccentric mechanlsm arranged to' operate the shed opposite `to that from which said reciprocating movement from' a point close .said needle, a hook mounted atthe side of tothe pathof said needle substantially to- A the apex of the s'hed, and a eem mechanism In testimony Wheneof have signed my arranged to operate said hook and con naine to th's speelcatwn 1n thepresence of structed to cause the hook to pause after udtwo subscribing witnesses.

'effects an engagement with said hook of FREDERICK J. GERASOI,

vanoing to a point adjacent to the path of EDWIN E. WAITE. said needle While the movement of the needle Witnesses:

the weft carried by the needle. I ARTHUR H. BURDICK. 

